I think Abbott will have a good season and it will continue here. Brezina should do better than bronze but wont due to major errors once again. Gachinski will continue to struggle to live up to his World medal. Hanyu is overhyped at this point. Fernandez will continue his breakthrough season.

Ladies

1. Asada
2. Leonova
3. Sotnikova
4. Korpi
5. Gao

The Russian federation will want to see someone age eligible for Worlds make the GP final. Sotnikova will fall further into Elizavetas shadow for the moment.

Are all these Leonova predictions purely political? It's hard to believe so many GS posters think she's the third-best skater there. Go, Haruka!

She nearly won the bronze at Worlds last year. Why on earth would people not be picking her to medal at a regular grand prix. Who pray tell is better here besides the obvious ones. Christina Gao who cant even medal at Junior Worlds. Imai who is about the 5th best Japanese. Korpi who has been out injured awhile and who cant even reach the top in the weak European ladies field.

You could be right. I have a hard time comprehending Alena's successes. But some of these younger ones like Haruka, Christina, and Agnes may have it in them to beat her one of these days. By this weekend, in Russia? Well... if I were a betting woman I would put a little money on them. The odds would be fantastic.

Oh, and Kiira Korpi is another outside possibility. Is she still in? I know she had an injury.

She is probably just a placeholder by the Russian fed. until the younger Russians become age eligible for Worlds, and the less exceptional up and comers like the Polinas mature more. Next year with Adelina and Elizaveta both became age eligible for all the major events Leonova will be dropped like a hot potatoe, unless she medals at Worlds this year.

Korpi sustained a foot injury in July and withdrew from the 2011 Japan Open and 2011 Finlandia Trophy as a result.[13][14] She resumed practicing toe jumps in October and said they were going well but she did not feel they were completely ready for the 2011 NHK Trophy.[15]

It's interesting to see my opinion fracture with the last GP event of the season. I have my desired result in a vacuum (my favourite skaters, etc), my desire result knowing that it'll decide the final GPF slot(s), and then of course the straight up predictions. So all three in one fell swoop.

WHY: Gachinski will not only get a hometown boost to go along with his quad, the early reports from the test skates suggested he was actually ramping up the PCS difficulty of his programs. Mishin has mentioned that he understands theat COP is more than just jumps (he specifically used the word "transitions"). Fernandez must be flying high since Skate Canada and he'll want to prove that those scores weren't flukey. Jeremy Abbott has a lot of people impressed, and I suspect he's someone who'll benefit from the intra-rink competition that Rippon provides. Hanyu's stamina problems won't disappear overnight, and Menshov? Why not?

In a vacuum: Yuzuru and Javier as 1-2. Rogozine on the podium. Jeremy in fourth, Menshov beating Gachinski

WHY: Asada is probably the best skater of the group and will show that. Sotnikova vs Leonova is interesting. If you presume that part of her struggle in CoC was living up the expectation set by Tuktamisheva, I think she'll either be doubly prepared or doubly nervous. I'll go with the former. Leonova? Eh, hometown skater that usually does all right in front of the crowd (CoR 2009, Nationals 2010, Worlds 2011). Korpi will have the PCS to support a so-so skate. Imai's just a guess.

In a Vacuum: Asada, Sotnikova, Korpi, Biryukova, LaCoste

re: the GPF: Don't really care, just want Asada and Sotnikova to make it.

Hopes: That D/W win with a total score (over both this and SA) that ties V/M's total score from SC and TEB. The conspiracy theories and fan-wars would be epic. That Weaver/Poje have a total that suggests they could flirt with the idea of beating Bobrova/Soloviev on more neutral territory (Nice) without B/S screwing up a la 2011 Worlds (if not beating them here outright). That Riazanova/Tkachenko actually make a play for the second spot and not just settle for third-fending-off-upcoming-juniors.

I think (hope) Fernandez can repeat or better his performances from SC. Abbott looked solid at CoC but he tech content is not the highest in the field, so he could drop lower if the other guys skate clean. Gachinski is on home turf - perhaps this arena can bring him luck as it did in May. If he delivers a strong long, he could place higher. The same applies for Hanyu who has the jumps, but not the stamina. Brezina has not delivered the promised quads yet so it will be hard for him to place high without others making mistakes. Having already qualified for the Final, he should try the quads.

Asada looked strong at NHK and she usually gets better as the season progresses. Gold will depend on whether she tries the triple axel - she doesn't need the risk. I think Sotnikova will do better than CoC. Leonova could place higher or lower than third, I'm not really sure. She has the jumps, but she placed 9th here last year. Korpi doesn't have the difficulty, but she gets high PCS and the other ladies are inconsistent.

Either S/S or K/S for the gold. I think S/S will definitely win if they don't attempt the 3A in the SP, as they generally are strong SP skaters. But having qualified for the Final, they might try it again. G/E and B/H fight for the bronze.

D/W for gold for sure - even if they fall 3 times. B/S and W/P for silver and bronze, though B/S has achieved the highest score so far this season and they skate on home turf. Perhaps if they skate sloppy, the Canadians can overtake them. Does anyone know if R/T has fixed the FD music?